13 February 2023

Welcome to Tracker, NHMRC’s fortnightly newsletter with the latest information on major activities and funding opportunities.

Celebrating Remarkable Women and Girls in Science

Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science!

Did you reflect over the weekend on the contributions of women and girls to our sector? It’s not too late to mark the occasion. Visit the International Day of Women and Girls in Science website to join the UN’s Global Network of Women in Science, or share the link with a colleague so that they can sign up.

At NHMRC, we recognise women in health and medical research every day, including via gender equity policies that allow us to take advantage of all the talent needed to address Australia’s health challenges.

Find out more on our website.

Calling all Synergy Grants applicants for 2023

Applications are now open for this year’s Synergy Grants.

Synergy Grants support outstanding multidisciplinary teams of investigators to work together to answer major questions that cannot be answered by a single investigator.

Key dates:

  • Minimum data is due 8 March 2023 17:00 AEDT
  • Applications close 5 April 2023 17:00 AEST

To assist applicants and RAOs in preparing applications, the following resources are now available online:

For more information, visit GrantConnect.

Investigator Grants deadlines approaching

Key dates:

  •     Minimum data is due Wednesday 22 February 2023 17:00 AEDT
  •     Applications close Wednesday 22 March 2023 17:00 AEDT

Minimum data requirements are indicated in Sapphire by a blue flag and include:

  •     Administering Institution
  •     Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Health Research Focus (yes/no)
  •     Project synopsis
  •     Privacy agreement
  •     Research Classification: Broad research area; Field(s) of research; Peer Review Areas; Research keywords
  •     Chief Investigator A (complete CIA Role and Name)
  •     Category and Level.

Applicants must complete the required fields with correct information. For more information on minimum data requirements, review Section 7.3 and Section 2.2 of Appendix H: Investigator Grants Guide to Applicants within the Investigator Grants 2023 Guidelines available on GrantConnect. 

Applicants are discouraged from making any changes to minimum data fields following the minimum data deadline as NHMRC uses minimum data to identify appropriate peer reviewers to assess the application. Incorrect minimum data may result in less suitable peer reviewers assessing the application.

Research Help Centre (RHC) and Sapphire Requests

Applicants should ensure that:

  • their Sapphire account is active or request access to Sapphire
  • participating institutions are available in Sapphire – request the addition of an institution to the system via email to Research Help Centre, including the institution’s URL and ABN if available.

For more information, visit GrantConnect.

Ideas Grants opening soon

This year’s Ideas Grants will be opening soon for applications.

Ideas Grants support innovative research projects addressing a specific question(s). 

Key dates:

  • Applications open 8 March 2023
  • Minimum data is due 5 April 2023 17:00 AEST
  • Applications close 3 May 2023 17:00 AEST.

You will need access to Sapphire to submit your application. If you anticipate applying for or being named on a grant (including as an Associate Investigator), please register here to activate or register your Sapphire account well in advance of the minimum data deadline.

Visit NHMRC's website​ for more information.

Pre-proposals due next month for NHMRC-JPIAMR: Antimicrobial resistance diagnostics and surveillance funding

NHMRC’s support for the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR) 2023 call will enable Australian researchers to join international collaborations investigating the development of innovative strategies, tools, technologies, and methods for diagnostics and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance.

Pre-proposal submissions to JPIAMR are due 7 March 2023 14:00 CET.

For more information, please visit GrantConnect and the JPIAMR website.

NHMRC-NEURON 2023: Mechanisms of Resilience and Vulnerability to Environmental Challenges in Mental Health

NHMRC is supporting a Network of European Funding for Neuroscience Research (NEURON) funding call so that Australian researchers can join international collaborations investigating pathophysiological and adaptative mechanisms with the potential to develop therapeutic and preventive approaches to preserving and improving mental health.

Pre-proposal submissions to NEURON are due 7 March 2023 14:00 CET.

For more information, please visit GrantConnect and the NEURON website.

NHMRC e-ASIA 2023 Joint Research Program

NHMRC is participating in the 2023 e-ASIA Joint Research Program 12th Health Research call for research proposals in Climate Change and Health.

To be eligible to apply for NHMRC funding, a research project must consist of Australian researchers partnering with at least two research teams from participating e-ASIA member organisations.

Key dates:

  • Minimum data is due in Sapphire 15 March 2023
  • Applications close in Sapphire 30 March 2023 17:00 AEDT

For more information, visit GrantConnect or NHMRC’s and e-ASIA’s websites.

Last call for minimum data - TCR: Improving physical health of people with a mental illness

Key dates:

  • Minimum data is due 15 February 17:00 AEDT
  • Applications close on 1 March 2023 17:00 AEDT

This Targeted Call for Research (TCR) aims to stimulate research that develops strategies and interventions to improve the physical health of people with a persistent or severe mental illness. The intended objectives are to:

  • understand the barriers people with a severe mental illness face when accessing treatment for physical health conditions
  • develop models of care that are person-centred, holistic, multidisciplinary and integrated with mental health services
  • identify what support services people with a severe mental illness and their health practitioners require to sustain participation in physical health interventions.

For more information, including the grant guidelines, visit GrantConnect and NHMRC’s website.

Seeking consumer and community representative peer reviewers for TCRs

Do you know someone outside the sector who may like to contribute to health and medical research as a peer reviewer?

We have introduced new measures to allow consumers and community representatives to score research applications received through NHMRC’s TCR scheme.

Involving people with lived experience on a health issue assists in selecting the best and most relevant research, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and a more trusted healthcare system.

For more information, visit NHMRC’s website or contact the Targeted Research team. 

Human Research Ethics Committees Activity Report now online        

The 2021 Human Research Ethics Committees (HRECs) Activity Report provides an overview of the Australian system of ethical oversight of research involving humans.

This includes the composition of HRECs and their processes for considering research proposals and monitoring approved research. The activity report is a compilation of information provided by NHMRC-registered HRECs and NHMRC-certified institutions that are required to submit annual reports to NHMRC.

The activity report for 2021 is now available on NHMRC’s website.

MRFF Grant Opportunities - key dates

The following Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Grant Opportunity are open for applications: 

2023 Chronic Respiratory (GO6024)

  • Minimum Data due 17 May 2023 at 17:00 AEST
  • Applications close 14 June 2023 at 17:00 AEST

2023 Primary Health Care Research (GO6034)

  • Minimum Data due 5 July 2023 at 17:00 AEST
  • Applications close 2 August 2023 at 17:00 AEST

2023 Maternal Health and Healthy Lifestyles (GO6022)

  • Minimum Data due 17 May 2023 at 17:00 AEST
  • Applications close 14 June 2023 at 17:00 AEST

2023 Consumer-Led Research (GO6029)

  • Minimum Data due 17 May 2023 at 17:00 AEST
  • Applications close 14 June 2023 at 17:00 AEST

The following MRFF Grant Opportunities are closing for applications:  

2022 MRFF Joint Transnational Call (GO5896)

  • Applications close 15 February 2023 at 17:00 AEDT

2022 Genomics Health Futures Mission (GO5822)

  • Applications close 22 February 2023 at 17:00 AEDT

2022 International Clinical Trial Collaborations Round 2 (GO5512)

  • Applications close 22 February 2023 at 17:00 AEDT

The following MRFF Grant Opportunities are forecast on GrantConnect and will open on 15 February 2023:  

Details on how to apply for MRFF grant opportunities and all MRFF close dates are available on GrantConnect. Only applicants who have completed minimum data can submit an application.
Applicants should ensure:

MRFF application eligibility criteria and compliance checking

Applications must review and address all eligibility and assessment criteria as set out in the guidelines, including limits on the number of times a person can be named as a CI on applications submitted to a grant opportunity.

For applications submitted to the 2022 Indigenous Health Research grant opportunity, eligibility may relate to whether Chief Investigators are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent (refer to section 3.1 of the grant guidelines). All MRFF applicants are advised to ensure the relevant information is completed in their Sapphire Profile prior to submission.

MRFF Grant Assessment Committee self-nomination

Researchers, consumers, clinicians and health practitioners, as well as those in industry, policy or who manage health services are invited to express their interest in assisting with the assessment of MRFF applications as a member of a grant assessment committee. Register your interest via NHMRC’s online portal.

Protecting against hepatitis

Viral hepatitis is a significant public health issue afflicting hundreds of millions of people globally and causing severe ill health, liver damage, cancer and death.

In collaboration with international colleagues, NHMRC-funded researchers at The University of Western Australia, Fairfield Hospital’s Epidemiological Research Unit (now the Burnet Institute) and Monash University made key contributions to the identification and control of viral hepatitis.

Find out more about this research on the NHMRC Impact Case Studies homepage.

Key application dates

Please see the Funding schemes and calendar page.

Tracker

See previous editions of Tracker.

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If you have any questions about the newsletter, email the Communications Team.

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